


An Auspicious Birthday

by CelestialHeavens1



Series: Agent Naberrie, ISB [2]
Category: Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016), Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Birthday, Gen, ISB, Imperial AU, Imperial Luke Skywalker, Imperial Officers (Star Wars), Imperial!Luke, Intelligence Officer Luke Skywalker, Luke Naberrie, Parties, Party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-27
Updated: 2020-08-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:41:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26145796
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CelestialHeavens1/pseuds/CelestialHeavens1
Summary: Empire Day.Her most hated day of the year.This year it was worst. It was bad enough that she had to wish everyone a “Happy Empire Day,” celebrating a fascist regime that Leia refused to recognize. But, as if to make matters worse, she was invited to an Empire Day party at the Senate. A mandatory party.
Relationships: Leia Organa & Luke Skywalker, Luke Skywalker & Darth Vader, Pooja Naberrie & Leia Organa, Pooja Naberrie & Luke Skywalker
Series: Agent Naberrie, ISB [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1257569
Comments: 16
Kudos: 96





	An Auspicious Birthday

This was Leia Organa’s first year away from home on her birthday. Her father, Bail Organa, had pulled back from his Senate position in favor of her, but the result was that she was completely alone on Coruscant, in the Imperial Center, on her birthday.

Empire Day.

_Her most hated day of the year._

This year it was worst. It was bad enough that she had to wish everyone a “Happy Empire Day,” celebrating a fascist regime that Leia refused to recognize. But, as if to make matters worse, she was invited to an Empire Day party at the Senate. A mandatory party.

It made her sick. How could these people be so cheerful on this day? Why would they want to throw a party for a dictator?

“You look miserable.”

She turned. A boy her age—humanoid, sandy blond hair, tanned skin—stood beside her, watching the event with a serene expression she thought only existed on people too old to care anymore. The boy wore an ISB cadet uniform, and instantly, Leia stiffened.

The boy shot her a grin, but its edges were too sharp. It looked out of place on such a young face. Perhaps he wasn’t all human? “Don’t worry. I won’t tell. I don’t want to be here either.”

That made her raise an eyebrow. “But it’s Empire Day. Aren’t you enjoying the party?”

The boy snorted and rolled his eyes, but otherwise remained quiet.

“It’s my birthday,” Leia confessed. “It’s the first year I’ve been away from home. I guess I’m just a little homesick.”

The boy’s look softened into something less sarcastic. “Happy birthday. It’s mine too.”

“An auspicious day,” she murmured demurely. “Happy birthday.”

“There’s other ways I’d rather celebrate. Father said I had to come,” he told her like it was a big secret. His eyes darted to the dark figure on the balcony before he lowered them again to the crowd. “And it wouldn’t be fair to make Pooja suffer alone.”

She glanced at him. Was he aware he sounded like a Rebel sympathizer? Or was he purposely doing to it see if he could catch her saying something seditious?

His eyes darted back up to the balcony, and his lips turned downwards slightly. She followed the movement, and this time, the figure caught the light.

“Is that Darth Vader up there?” Waves of cold dread washed over her. Was Vader’s presence at these parties common? Since coming to Coruscant, she had only seen him from a distance at a handful of Senate sessions. He didn’t see to hold any real rank within the Empire, or if he did, it wasn’t well-known.

“The one and only.”

“Will he come down here, do you think?” That sounded appropriately curious, right? The last thing Leia wanted was to draw too much attention to the fact that she wanted to be as far away from Vader as she could if he was to start mingling.

“I doubt it. He’s never liked crowds,” he said in a tone that was far too casual. As if he knew Vader personally. Her stomach twisted. Was she already under suspicion? But why would someone so obvious be sent? Why would he wear a cadet’s uniform if he was trying to draw her out? He could have pretended to be a junior senator. Or a guest. Or really anyone but someone training for the ISB.

“Do you know him well?” she asked, forcing her voice to stay calm. She had known the risks when she’d joined the Senate. Now was not the time to start panicking.

The boy blinked. He paused a moment, mouthing something… was he rerunning their conversation? He blinked again.

“I… observations,” he explained lamely. “I’ve been to a lot of these events. My sister, Pooja, she’s the senator for Naboo and the Chommell sector.”

A cold wave passed over her. Naboo was well-known as the Emperor’s homeworld, and though Senator Padmé Amidala had been from Naboo before Leia was born, she was a rare politician. Most of her beliefs had been stricken from any records, and if the late Senator hadn’t been such good friends with Leia’s father, she would have known nothing about her.

She didn’t know how she knew, but the boy was lying. Perhaps not about attending these, but he definitely knew Vader personally. Maybe he met him at one of the events? Or perhaps he had met him on Naboo. It would stand to reason that at some point the Emperor’s second-in-command would have visited his homeworld. Or maybe he had visited the ISB Academy. That was somewhere on Coruscant, wasn’t it?

“I’m Luke, Luke Naberrie.” He offered a hand, and she shook it. He seemed alright, for an Imperial. Even if he knew Vader and was possibly trying to spy on her.

“Princess Leia Organa. Senator from Alderaan.”

Luke bowed, somehow mocking and serious at the same time. “I didn’t realize I was in the presence of royalty. Forgive me, your highness.”

“Aren’t you a noble?”

Luke tapped his uniform collar, a sardonic grin on his lips. “Not anymore.”

The rest of the party passed with little to note. After the Senate debate and lack of progress the next day and the week of stress that followed, the boy from the party faded from her mind.

**Author's Note:**

> I know some sources say that Luke and Leia are born two days after Empire Day, but in this AU, their birthdays will be on Empire Day.


End file.
